Former Cisse coach hails Milan starlet: ‘Does things that others don’t’

Former Cisse coach hails Milan starlet: ‘Does things that others don’t’ Paolo Sammarco has praised Milan youngster Alphadjo Cisse after the teenager continued his rapid rise by scoring against Juventus, recalling the qualities that made him stand out during his time at Hellas Verona. Cisse has quickly emerged as one of the most intriguing young talents in Italian football, with his performances attracting increasing attention at senior level. His latest goal came against Juventus , further underlining the potential that Sammarco and his former coaching staff identified several years ago. Sammarco, who previously coached both Verona’s first team and Primavera, believes Cisse’s progress is ultimately down to the player himself, despite the support he received during his development in Verona. “I am proud and extremely happy because he is a boy who deserves it,” Sammarco told Radio Sportiva, with quotes via TuttoMercatoWeb . “We only helped the talent that we spotted at Verona. “Me, the staff and director Margiotta did our part, but ultimately it is all down to him.” Sammarco also highlighted the contribution of Alberto Aquilani, who worked with Cisse at Catanzaro after already knowing the youngster and pushing for his arrival. “Aquilani at Catanzaro, who knew him and strongly wanted him, also managed to bring out the talent that we had all seen,” Sammarco added. PERTH, AUSTRALIA – AUGUST 05: Alphadjo Cisse of AC Milan passes the ball during the pre-season match between AC Milan and FC Internazionale at Optus Stadium on August 05, 2026 in Perth, Australia. (Photo by Janelle St Pierre/Getty Images) Sammarco: ‘Cisse does things others don’t’ For Sammarco, Cisse’s ability to anticipate situations on the pitch was already evident during his time in Verona, with his technical quality complemented by an impressive physical presence. “Cisse does things that others don’t,” he explained. “That is what Alpha did. He saw passes and moves much earlier than others, and all of this came with physical strength and technique. “The difference compared to his teammates was quite evident. Even when he trained with the first team, he did great things in training as well.” MILAN, ITALY – AUGUST 28: Alphadjo Cisse of Milan is challenged by Joel Schingtienne and Kike Perez of Venezia during the Serie A match between AC Milan and Venezia FC at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on August 28, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images) Those qualities have now begun to translate onto the biggest stage, with Cisse showing that the talent identified during his formative years can also make an impact in senior football. Sammarco is delighted to see his former pupil taking that next step and believes his latest performances are confirmation that the qualities he displayed as a youngster were genuine. “We are happy, and I am personally happy that he is demonstrating it at the very highest levels,” he concluded.